Who Should I Start? Raheem Blackshear or Deuce Vaughn

Tuesday, July 1, 9:30 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Raheem Blackshear will "almost exclusively be a special teams player" in 2025 if the team elects to keep a fourth RB around beyond training camp, writes The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow. The Panthers only kept three RBs a year ago. Even with rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) out for most of last season, Blackshear didn't have a single rushing attempt until Week 16. The 27-year-old will primarily be competing with David Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Hunter Renfrow for a spot on the team's 53-man roster as a return option. The former undrafted free agent in 2022 has had 68 touches for 341 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on offense for the Panthers in the last three years while adding 66 kickoff returns for 1,734 yards and 23 punt returns for 200 yards. He's off the fantasy radar in the vast majority of leagues.

Wednesday, August 13, 7:06 PM

With Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue (heel) still sidelined from Tuesday's training camp practice, it allowed Deuce Vaughn to work with the first-team offense, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. Vaughn had a good day by showing lateral movements to make defenders miss in space. The 23-year-old is slippery in space because of his quickness and size (5-foot-6, 176 pounds), but Vaughn is still fighting an uphill battle to be involved out of Dallas' backfield in 2025. The former sixth-round pick (212th overall) in 2023 out of Kansas State has a combined 40 rushing attempts for 110 yards and no touchdowns while adding 10 receptions for 58 yards in the passing game in his two seasons in the NFL with the Cowboys. At best, he'll open his third season as the RB4 behind Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders and Blue.